Sporting shorts - No 12

Here we are again another Sunday night, and it is time for this weeks Sporting Shorts. 

AFL

• I'll start with the Demons, another great win this week. First time the club has won two consecutive games by over 90 points, and the first time since 1993 they have won two games in a season by more than 90 points. Currently sitting in third place two. It's looking like they will play finals this year.  It is certainly a long time since the Queens Birthday game (between Collingwood and Melbourne) has seen both teams in the top eight. 
• Apparently if the ladder remains the same, it will be the first time since 1941 that Melbourne and Richmond will play finals. 
• West Coast won their 9th consecutive game, beating Hawthorn in Melbourne, at the soon to be named Marvel Stadium (formerly Docklands Stadium). 
• An aside, regularly renaming Stadiums has got to make recording history hard. Why can't we keep the original ground names like the SCG and MCG. Can't see Lords being renamed either... 
• So West Coast, Melbourne and North Melbourne didn't feature in many peoples top eights at the start of the season, but all of them are putting a string of good wins together. 
• Adelaide have had a shocking run with injuries, but I think I'm putting a line through them and GWS as potential premiers - they both might sneak back into the eight. 

NRL

• The Rabbitohs continue impress me, especially after dismantling the Warriors in Auckland. I didn't have them in my top eight at the start of the year. I know there's a little way to go, but they're stringing a few wins together. Actually its the first time since 1949 they've gone through May undefeated. 
• Lovely to see the Panthers showing their potential this year. It must be head to head that determines who goes top when wins and points differential are equal?
• This years' State of Origin will be interesting with both NSW and Queensland naming teams with little experience of the competition. Not sure who should be favourites -though the danger is making too much of Cronk, Thurston and Smith being absent. 
• The thing I'll find interesting is how the competition is impacted by the Origin series. 

Super Rugby

• Great game between the Hurricanes and Crusaders - this time won by the Crusaders. I feel perhaps a rehearsal for the final. 
• The Waratahs are firming as the most likely team to top the Australian conference. 
• About to head into the first international break with Australia playing Six Nations champions Ireland, the All Blacks playing France and South Africa playing England. Will be fascinating to watch how the teams gel. 

Other

• Hard not to be teary after seeing the Liverpool goalkeeper distraught while giving an apology to the clubs fans after his two errors gift Real Madrid goals in the Final. I hope he's got good people around him. Whatever he does next, I suspect it might be this that is remembered, I hope I'm wrong. 
• My sporting highlight for the year is the Football World Cup, which is now only a few weeks away. Can't wait :) 
• The NBA finals will be between Cleveland and either Golden State or Houston after LeBron James (Cleveland) eliminated Boston. Feel like a repeat of last season is on the cards. 
• The Stanley Cup Final will be between Las Vegas and Washington. It will be an interesting series.
• The French Open starts this week, and marks Serena Williams first Grand Slam tournament since giving birth. Hoping to see her do well in the tournament. Nadal has to be favourite for the Men's tournament.